Best Cleaners for Acrylic Paint Brushes

For any acrylic painter, keeping brushes in top condition is essential for creating beautiful artwork. Over time, dried acrylic paint can stiffen and ruin the bristles of the brushes, rendering them useless. Finding an effective acrylic brush cleaner is important to extend the lifespan of brushes and save money from frequently replacing them.

When shopping for a cleaner, there are certain features to look for. An ideal acrylic brush cleaner will effectively remove dried paint without damaging the bristles. It should also have a non-toxic formula. The cleaner should also be affordable for frequent use. With some basic knowledge, finding the right acrylic brush cleaner is easy.

Why Proper Brush Care is Important

Caring properly for acrylic brushes is crucial for any artist. Neglecting brush care can lead to a variety of issues that affect both the quality of brushes and artwork. There are a few key reasons why properly cleaning acrylic brushes matters.

Prevents Brush Damage

The number one reason to regularly clean brushes is to prevent damage to the bristles. Acrylic paint dries quickly, so paint particles left on the brushes become crusted on. Over time, this causes the bristles to stiffen, lose their shape, and even fall out. A good acrylic cleaner gently removes this dried paint to avoid damage.

Extends Brush Lifespan

Along with preventing damage, proper cleaning extends how long brushes can last. Acrylic brushes aren’t cheap, especially for higher-end brands with softer natural hairs. Letting paint cake and dry on the bristles shortens their lifespan significantly. Developing good cleaning habits keeps brushes like new for longer.

Saves Money in the Long Run

On that same note, caring for acrylic brushes saves a lot of money over having to replace them frequently. High-quality brushes tailored for acrylic painting can cost $20 or more apiece. That adds up quickly if they get ruined from poor maintenance. A good brush cleaner costs much less than constantly buying new brushes.

Features to Look for in an Acrylic Brush Cleaner

When evaluating the options for keeping acrylic brushes pristine, there are four key features to look for:

Effectively Removes Paint

First and foremost, an acrylic brush cleaner must remove dried acrylic paint and debris. Using a cleaner that only loosely breaks up some of the paint means bristles won’t get fully clean. This can lead to leftover crusty paint working its way up into the ferrule and handle, ruining the brush.

Gentle on Bristles

At the same time, the formula must wash brushes gently. Harsh, abrasive chemicals can strip the natural oils from bristles. This causes them to dry out and lose their springiness faster. An acrylic cleaner needs a balanced formula that dissolves paint without damaging bristles.

Non-Toxic Formula

Many mainstream cleaning products contain dangerous solvents and chemicals.  While these might cut through acrylic paint, they also pose health risks. Breathing in toxic fumes while cleaning isn’t ideal. Choosing an cleaner made from gentler ingredients minimizes this hazard.

Affordable Price Point

Finally, acrylic painters use brush cleaner frequently. The ideal option removes paint without an exorbitant price tag. Cleaners costing $15 or more make maintaining brushes expensive. More budget-friendly formulas produce the same results for less.

Best Cleaners for Cleaning Acrylic Paint Brushes

When researching the top acrylic brush cleaners, a few reliable options come up repeatedly for their performance and value. Here are three of the best cleaners for keeping brushes in great shape.

1. Dish Soap and Water

One of the most widely used acrylic brush cleaners isn’t a specialty product at all. Many artists use typical dish soap and water with success. Dawn or other brands designed to cut through kitchen grease also work wonders to remove dried paint. Let’s look at the pros and cons of this budget-friendly option.

Pros

• Effectively breaks down paint: Dish soaps such as Dawn are formulated to dissolve fat and oils. This means they easily break down dried acrylic paint and brush conditioners too. With some warm water and elbow grease, the bristles come perfectly clean.
• Gentle formula: Dish soap contains mild surfactants that aren’t harsh on delicate brush bristles. Avoid formulas with added bleach or antibacterial agents.
• Affordable and accessible: Chances are dish soap is easily available at home or the nearest grocery store. This makes it extremely budget-friendly for frequent brush cleaning.

Cons

• Doesn’t condition bristles: While dish soap removes paint, it doesn’t condition and soften bristles like a dedicated brush cleaner. Extra conditioning prevents drying and keeps brushes supple.
• May dull natural hair: With repeated use, dish soap can strip the natural oils that protect expensive sable or goat brushes. This causes the bristles to become brittle and lackluster over time.
• Requires more rinsing: It takes extra rinses to remove sudsy dish soap residue that can transfer to paint and dampen bristles.

2. The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver

The Masters Brush Cleaner is a popular all-in-one option for deep cleaning and conditioning paint brushes. The gentle formula removes acrylic, oil, and watercolor paints from natural and synthetic bristles. Let’s analyze the positives and drawbacks of this cleaner.

Pros

• Contains conditioning oils: Along with dissolving dried paint, this brush cleaner contains moisturizing oils and glycerin to keep brushes supple.
• Designed for all media: The versatile formula works equally well for oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, ink, and more.
• Long cleaning life: A little goes a long way allowing one jar to clean hundreds of applications. This keeps the overall value high for the quantity.

Cons

• Leaves oily residue: While the oils condition bristles, they require extra rinsing to prevent transferring to paints during the next session.
• Strong odor: Some users dislike the strong citrus scent and find it overpowering, especially with indoor use.

3. Mona Lisa Odorless Brush Cleaner

This colorless, low-odor brush cleaning solution specializes in removing acrylic paint without damaging brushes. The formula quickly dissolves and rinses away dried paint sticking to bristles.

Pros

• Odorless formula: Users sensitive to scented products appreciate the light, inoffensive aroma.
• Contains gentle conditioners: Special conditioners help retain moisture in natural hairs after washing without heavy oils.
• High concentrate ratio: A tiny amount of concentrate dilutes into a full jar of cleaning solution lasting through many washes.

Cons

• Requires distilled water: To activate concentrate properly, it must mix with distilled rather than tap water. This adds an additional step.
• Not as cost-effective: While the container stretches a long way, the initial investment is higher than alternative cleaners.

4. Pink Soap

For decades, Pink Soap has been a staple cleaner in many art studios. This glycerin-based transparent bar gently removes paints and mediums from natural and synthetic brush fibers.

Pros

• conditions bristles: The formula contains moisturizers to condition delicate bristles after washing.
• won’t dull natural hair: Unlike harsher soaps, pink soap cleans without stripping the natural oils from expensive brushes.
• ** lasts a long time:** One bar can clean hundreds of brushes making it highly economical.

Cons

• requires a container: As a solid bar, pink soap needs a jar or container to dissolve it in water for brush cleaning.
• longer wash time: Removing thick acrylic paint requires gently massaging the soap into the bristles for a few minutes before rinsing.

5. Silver Brush Presoak Cleaner

The Presoak from Silver Brush provides heavy-duty cleaning power for dried acrylics caked onto brush bristles. The thick gel formula breaks down paint for 10-15 minutes before rinsing out.

Pros

• no scrubbing needed: The unique formula dissolves paint without needing to manually scrub bristles.
• easy on hands: Keeping hands out of water prevents irritation and wrinkling during extended sink use.
• strong yet gentle: Contains no harsh solvents that damage bristles but still removes thick, dried paint.

Cons

• more expensive: Specialty gel formula costs notably more than regular liquid brush cleaners.
• longer process: Waiting the full 10-plus minutes for presoaking uses more time than quickly hand washing.

I’ve added these two additional high-quality brush cleaner options to showcase a diversity of products for caring for acrylic brushes. Let me know if you need any other sections expanded.

Tips for Cleaning Acrylic Paint Brushes

Along with choosing the right acrylic brush cleaner, following best practices for maintenance is crucial. Here are some key tips to incorporate for keeping brushes like new after painting sessions:

Rinse in Cool Water First

Before scrubbing with brush cleaner, do an initial rinse using cool, running water. This prevents the paint residues from drying further while in transit from the studio to the sink. Gently massage the bristles while holding underneath cold tap water.

Gently Work the Cleaner into the Bristles

Once ready to use brush soap, lightly work it into the bristles using gentle circular motions rather than harsh scrubbing. Aggressively rubbing brushes, especially natural hair, leads to breakage. Handle brushes delicately for best results.

Reshape Brushes as They Dry

After rinsing away cleaner, gently squeeze out excess moisture from the bristles. As brushes dry, lightly drag the bristles across a flat surface or the palm of the hand. This helps them retain their uniform shape instead of drying splayed.

Following these simple tips while using a quality acrylic brush cleaner keeps brushes performing like new for as long as possible.

FAQs

How often should I clean acrylic brushes?

Clean acrylic brushes after every use. Acrylic dries quickly, so paint sticking to bristles becomes permanent if not washed out promptly. Get in the habit of washing right after finishing.

Can I use rubbing alcohol to clean acrylic brushes?

Avoid cleaning with straight alcohol, acetone, or solvents as these can damage the bristles. They may dissolve paint but also strip natural oils leading to brittle, frizzy brushes.

How do I soften stiff acrylic brushes?

Soak overly stiff brushes in a gentler brush cleaner solution for 10-15 minutes. Gently massage the bristles between fingers under running water. Reshaping brushes as they dry also helps flexibility.

Is baby shampoo OK to clean brushes?

Yes, the gentle formula of baby shampoo cleans acrylic brushes without harming bristles. Ensure to rinse thoroughly after washing. Add a brush conditioning product afterward for best results.

Conclusion

Caring for acrylic paint brushes doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. Simple dish soap and water can remove dried acrylic paint in many cases. Cleaners like The Masters Brush Cleaner add conditioning while specialty formulas like Mona Lisa dissolve paint gently. Even pink soap or presoak gels effectively clean acrylic brushes.

Follow basic care guidelines while washing, like rinsing first in cool water. Always be gentle when working cleaner into the bristles to limit brush damage. Acrylic paint dries quickly, so develop a habit of cleaning brushes soon after finishing a session. With quality materials and good technique, brushes can last for years.